novelAbuy Chapter 501 The young master is too handsome, Wanqing is a little shy...
Chapter 501 The young master is too handsome, Wanqing is a little shy...
The next morning, the morning light peeked in through the cracks in the window, spreading a layer of pale golden light on the ground.
Chen Wanqing slowly opened her eyes. She felt as if her whole body had fallen apart, and she was sore all over that she didn't even want to move her fingers.
She lay in bed, staring at the top of the tent, as scenes from the previous night flashed through her mind.
Her face flushed red instantly, as red as if it had been tinted with rouge, burning from her cheeks all the way to her ears, feeling intensely hot.
Chen Wanqing subconsciously reached out and touched her side.
empty.
The brocade quilt was cold, leaving no warmth whatsoever.
Her body jolted violently, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water on her from behind, instantly waking her up.
She sat up abruptly, her long hair slipping down her shoulders and obscuring half her face.
Her gaze swept across the room.
On the table were the wine jug that hadn't been finished last night and a few plates of leftover food. The candlesticks had burned out, leaving a pool of solidified wax.
Her clothes were hanging on the clothes rack, neatly folded, not just casually draped over her shoulders.
He wasn't there.
She was alone in the room.
A huge sense of loss welled up in Chen Wanqing's heart, as if she had lost something important, leaving her feeling empty and cold.
She bit her lip, wondering if His Majesty had left.
She quickly threw off the brocade quilt and stepped barefoot onto the cold gold bricks. The chill seeped up from the soles of her feet, making her more awake.
Ignoring the aches and pains in her body, she quickly put on her clothes, fastened her belt, tidied her disheveled long hair, and dragged her tired body to the door.
Her hand had just touched the latch when the door was pushed open from the outside.
The morning light streamed in, making her squint slightly.
Qin Mu stood outside the door, his moon-white robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze. Sunlight streamed in from behind him, bathing him in a pale golden glow.
The corners of his mouth held that familiar, ambiguous smile, his gaze fixed on her face, his voice soft and tinged with amusement.
"woke up?"
Chen Wanqing looked at him, and was stunned for a moment.
Her heart skipped a beat; the weight that had been hanging over her for so long finally lifted.
Her eyes suddenly stung, but she bit her lip, swallowed the rising bitterness, lowered her head, and nodded gently.
"Mmm, I'm awake."
Qin Mu looked at her, but did not step in. He simply stood on the threshold, his hands behind his back.
"Won't you sleep a little longer? You didn't get much sleep yesterday."
Chen Wanqing's face turned even redder, so red it looked like it was about to bleed.
She bit her lip, lowered her head, and dared not look at him, her voice muffled.
"No, I can't sleep."
Qin Mu's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and the smile on his lips deepened.
You seem afraid of me.
Chen Wanqing's heart skipped a beat, as if someone had pulled her up an inch from her chest and left her suspended in mid-air.
She was immediately startled, thinking that she had indeed acted a little too fearful of Qin Mu. Could it be that he had discovered that she already knew his identity?
If that's the case, then it doesn't fit her original plan.
Chen Wanqing took a deep breath and gradually suppressed the surging panic.
She looked up, met his gaze, and smiled shyly.
"Young master is too handsome, Wanqing is a little shy."
Her voice was soft, with a hint of coquettishness, like a cat rubbing against its owner's legs.
Qin Mu smiled, a faint smile that carried an indescribable meaning.
"You certainly know how to talk."
He turned around and walked towards the corridor. After taking two steps, he stopped and did not look back.
"Now that you're awake, let's go out for dinner together."
Chen Wanqing nodded, her voice soft. "Okay."
She closed the door, walked to the copper basin, and scooped up some water to wash her face.
The water was cold, and when it hit her face, it made her feel a bit more awake.
She carefully combed her hair in front of the bronze mirror, tied it into a simple bun with the jade hairpin, and then applied a light layer of makeup.
She looked at herself in the mirror, took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and went out.
In the lobby of the inn, sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the rough wooden tables.
Most of the guests at the tables were already seated; some were engrossed in their meals, others were talking in hushed tones, and the occasional clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard.
Qin Mu sat at the table by the window, his moon-white robe standing out conspicuously in the crowd.
Jiang Zhaoyue, Yun Luan, Xu Fenghua, Yun Suxin, and Han Xin'er sat around him, each with a different posture, yet all possessed an indescribable charm that was impossible to look away from.
Chen Wanqing's two maids and the middle-aged guard sat at a table in the corner, with several bowls of porridge and dishes of pickled vegetables in front of them, but no one was eating.
The two maids kept their heads down, their faces slightly flushed, and occasionally stole a glance at Qin Mu's table before quickly lowering their heads again.
The middle-aged guard had a complicated expression. His gaze swept between Chen Wanqing and Qin Mu, but he didn't say anything. He just picked up the bowl of porridge, took a sip, and put it down again.
Chen Wanqing stood at the entrance of the lobby, her gaze sweeping over those familiar faces, a feeling of inexplicable unease welling up inside her.
Her fingers clenched slightly inside her sleeve, then relaxed, then clenched again, then relaxed again.
She hesitated for a moment, then walked to Qin Mu's side, lowered her head, and spoke very softly.
"Young master, where shall I sit?"
Qin Mu raised his head, looked at her, and the smile on his lips deepened.
"You can sit wherever you want."
Chen Wanqing's eyes flickered, like a stone hitting the surface of a lake in deep winter, creating a series of tiny ripples.
She bit her lip, her gaze sweeping over the table.
Jiang Zhaoyue sat to Qin Mu's left, Yun Luan stood behind him, Xu Fenghua sat to his right, and Yun Suxin and Han Xin'er lined up in order.
There are no empty seats.
She hesitated for a moment, then walked to Han Xin'er's side, gently tugged at her sleeve, and lowered her voice.
"Little sister, could I sit here with you?"
Han Xin'er raised her head, glanced at her, her gaze calm and unreadable.
She didn't say anything, but simply stood up, moved to sit next to Yun Suxin, and gave her that seat.
Chen Wanqing quickly sat down, lowered her head, and placed her hands on her knees, her fingers trembling slightly.
Her heart was pounding like a rabbit's, and her breathing became rapid.
She didn't know if Jiang Zhaoyue and the others would accept her, whether they would make things difficult for her, or how she would live her life from now on.
She had heard too many stories about the inner palace.
The stories of vying for favor, framing, intrigue, and deceit were like buckets of ice water, chilling her to the bone.
But she couldn't turn back.
The arrow had already been shot, the bowstring was slack, and she could only watch as the arrow flew toward the bullseye, whether it hit or not, she had to watch.
Qin Mu ordered the post station servants to serve the dishes.
The courier responded, turned and went to the kitchen, and soon returned with a large tray.
On the tray were several small dishes, a bowl of steaming mixed grain porridge, and a basket of white flour steamed buns.
Qin Mu picked up a steamed bun, broke it in half, and handed one half to Chen Wanqing.
Chen Wanqing quickly took it, held it in both hands, lowered her head, and took small bites.
The steamed bun was soft and slightly sweet, but she couldn't taste anything.
None of the women spoke; they each ate their porridge and picked up food from their plates, occasionally making the crisp sound of chopsticks touching the rim of their bowls.
No one looked at Chen Wanqing, nor did anyone deliberately ignore her; they simply ate quietly, as if she didn't exist.
Chen Wanqing lowered her head, eating the half-eaten steamed bun and drinking the porridge in her bowl, and the anxiety in her heart gradually subsided a bit.
She didn't know if this was the calm before the storm, or if they were plotting something bad.
All she knew was that she was sitting here, at the same table as him, eating from the same pot of porridge, and that was enough.
As the morning light grew brighter, it bathed the entire post station in a golden glow.
In the courtyard, the horses snorted under the eaves, their tails swishing idly.
On the distant official road, the occasional rumble of carriages and horses could be heard before fading into the distance.
Just as the courier finished serving the dishes, Qin Mu picked up the bowl of porridge, took a sip, put it down, turned to look at Chen Wanqing, and the smile on his lips remained.
"Miss Chen, what time do you plan to set off today? Where are you going?"
Chen Wanqing paused slightly, put down the steamed bun in her hand, gently wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, and spoke softly.
"Reporting to Young Master, Wanqing is going to the north to deliver goods. This shipment is urgent, and Wanqing originally intended to leave early this morning, but..."
She paused, her gaze quickly sweeping over Qin Mu before she lowered her head again, her voice even softer. "I just didn't sleep well last night, and I'm a little tired, so I wanted to stay a little longer."
Qin Mu nodded, picked up the bowl of porridge, and took another sip.
"Where does Miss Chen plan to deliver the goods?"
Chen Wanqing's eyes flickered slightly, her fingers gently clenching the hem of her clothes under the table. She raised her head and met Qin Mu's gaze.
"Qingzhou. The Chen family business has several shops in Qingzhou. This batch of goods is to be delivered before winter. It includes silk, tea, and some medicinal herbs."
She pursed her lips and asked again, "Young master, where are you going?"
Qin Mu put down his bowl of porridge, leaned back in his chair, and looked out the window at the sky illuminated by the morning light.
"The North. To participate in the martial arts tournament."
Chen Wanqing suddenly realized, her eyes brightened slightly, and her voice carried a perfectly timed hint of surprise and admiration.
"So, Young Master is going to participate in the martial arts tournament! Wanqing has also heard that the Xu family of the Northern Border is holding a grand martial arts tournament, recruiting heroes from all over the world and rewarding them with gold, silver, jewels, and divine weapons. It has been widely known in the martial arts world for a long time. With Young Master's strength, he will surely achieve a good result."
Her tone was sincere, and her eyes were full of admiration, like an innocent young girl admiring her hero.
Qin Mu looked at her, smiled, and didn't say anything.
"Thank you for your kind words, Miss Chen."
He picked up the bowl of porridge, took another sip, put it down, and spoke casually.
"It seems we can travel together for a while longer. There's a section of the road that's the same between Qingzhou and the Northern Border."
Chen Wanqing's face flushed slightly, the blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears, appearing exceptionally beautiful in the morning light.
She lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, a smile she couldn't suppress.
"Then... Wanqing will trouble you, young master."
She spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of barely suppressed joy.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats and chaotic footsteps suddenly rang out outside.
The sound grew closer and louder, surging in like a tide, causing the ground to tremble slightly.